Malacopsylla grossiventris (Weyenbergh, 1881)

Ezquiaga, María Cecilia & Soibelzon, Esteban, 2021, New records of fleas and ticks in armadillos (Xenarthra: Chlamyphoridae) from the Espinal and Monte ecoregions of La Pampa province, Argentina, Zootaxa 4950 (3), pp. 595-600 : 597-598

Malacopsylla grossiventris (Weyenbergh, 1881)

( Fig. 2b )

Specimens examined. 28 females on 9 individuals of C. villosus and 5 on 3 individuals of Z. pichiy ; 25 males on 8 individuals of C. villosus and 4 on 3 individuals of Z. pichiy .

Parasitological índices. Total: P=86%; MA=4.1; MI=4.8. Ecoregion Espinal: P=100%; MA=5.1; MI=5.1. Ecoregion Monte: P=66%; MA=2.6; MI=4. Chaetophractus villosus : P=82%; MA=4; MI=4.9; Zaedyus pichiy : P=100%; MA=4.5; MI=5.4.

No significant differences were observed in the prevalence, mean abundance or mean intensity of M. grossiventris between C. villosus and Z. pichiy (Fisher’s exact test two-sided p -value= 1.000; Bootstrap p -value (two-sided) = 0.7595; Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney p -value (two-tailed) = 1.0000, Bootstrap p -value (two-sided) = 0.8005). There were also no significant differences in prevalence, mean abundance or mean intensity when Espinal and Monte were compared (Fisher’s exact test two-sided p -value= 0.143; Bootstrap p -value (two-sided) = 0.1335; Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney p -value (two-tailed) = 0.5871, Bootstrap p -value (two-sided) = 0.4720).

Type host and locality. Dasypus minutus (now Zaedyus pichiy Desmarest ), Argentina.

Geographic range. Endemic to Argentina (provinces of Buenos Aires, Catamarca, Chaco, Chubut, Córdoba, Jujuy, La Pampa, La Rioja, Mendoza, Salta, San Luis, Santa Cruz, Santiago del Estero, Tucumán) .

Remarks. Malacopsylla Weyenbergh includes only one species, M. grossiventris , which can be distinguished from P. agenoris by its angulated frons with a deciduous tubercle, darkly sclerotized setae on the posterior margin of the foretibia, and incomplete oblique break of the mesocoxa ( Smit 1987). Although this flea parasitizes armadillos, has also been recorded from Canidae ( Canis familiaris , Cerdocyon thous , Lycalopex culpaeus , Lycalopex griseus ), Mephitidae ( Conepatus chinga suffocans ), “conejo” (rabbit) and Caviidae ( Microcavia australis ) ( Del Ponte & Riesel 1939; Smit 1987; Lareschi et al. 2010, 2016; Ezquiaga & Lareschi 2012). This species was recorded in the province of La Pampa parasitizing C. villosus and Z. pichiy ( Mauri & Navone 1993) .

Figures

FIGURE 2. Ectoparasites of armadillos. a) Phthiropsylla agenoris, female. b) Malacopsylla grossiventris, male. c) Hectopsylla broscus, female. d) Amblyomma pseudoconcolor, male.